Google Ads Holiday Campaign Review: Key Learnings (So Far)
With the holidays still in full swing, now is the perfect time to reflect on your Google Ads holiday campaigns and identify what’s working and what could use a little tweak. It’s not too late to adjust your strategy and optimise your ads for the final stretch of the season. In this post, we’ll dive into some key learnings from campaigns so far and provide tips for making the most of the remaining days.
1. Audience Targeting is More Important Than Ever
As we approach the festive peak, it’s clear that audience targeting is crucial. The holiday period is full of noise and competition, and your ad spend will only be effective if it’s reaching the right people. Now’s the time to refine your audience segments based on their holiday shopping behaviours. Consider using remarketing lists or custom intent audiences to target users who’ve previously interacted with your site or those likely to be interested in seasonal products. Don’t forget to adjust your targeting based on geography, as shopping habits can differ depending on location.
2. Automated Bidding – Still a Time-Saver
For those who haven’t switched over to automated bidding yet, there’s still time to make this change. Google’s machine learning can help optimise your bids for maximum performance, especially during the holiday rush. Automated bidding strategies like Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) or Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) can ensure you’re making the most of your budget without having to manually adjust bids every day. Plus, with the holidays being such a busy time, automated bidding will save you precious time while driving better results.
3. Adjust Budgets for Peak Shopping Days
We're not at the end of the holiday shopping frenzy yet, so be sure to adjust your Google Ads budget to make the most of high-traffic days. While Cyber Monday has come and gone, there are still plenty of opportunities ahead: Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, and even the last-minute shoppers buying on New Year’s Eve. Ensure your budget allocation matches the expected traffic spikes by increasing your bids on those peak days. Monitoring your campaigns regularly will also help you fine-tune your budget in real-time.
4. Catch Attention with Festive Ad Copy
The holiday season is all about creating excitement and urgency, so now’s the time to review your ad copy. If you’re still using standard messaging, update your ads to reflect the festive spirit. Use terms like “holiday sale”, “limited-time offer”, or “exclusive holiday deal” to tap into the urgency and excitement of seasonal shopping. Tailor your messages to your target audience – a personalised, festive touch can make all the difference in getting that click.
5. Remarketing – Don’t Miss Out on Last-Minute Sales
Remarketing continues to be an effective way to recover potentially lost sales, and with the holidays still ongoing, now is the time to fine-tune these campaigns. You might be seeing people visit your website, add items to their basket, but leave without purchasing. Setting up dynamic remarketing ads that show products users have viewed or added to their cart can entice them back to complete the transaction. This strategy is especially powerful with last-minute shoppers who might be making spur-of-the-moment decisions as the holiday deadline approaches.
6. Mobile Optimisation – The Time Is Now
It’s no surprise that mobile shopping is booming, and with many shoppers still on the hunt for those last-minute deals, you can’t afford to neglect mobile optimisation. Your landing pages should load quickly, your ads should look great on small screens, and your checkout process should be seamless. If you haven’t tested your campaigns across devices yet, there’s still time to make adjustments for a smoother mobile shopping experience.
7. Track and Optimise Campaign Performance
There’s still time to make tweaks and ensure your campaigns are performing at their best. Keep a close eye on your key metrics — like Cost Per Conversion, Click-Through Rate (CTR), and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) — and adjust your campaigns where necessary. Sometimes a small change to ad copy, targeting, or bid adjustments can make all the difference. This holiday season is a learning experience, and by tracking results in real-time, you can adapt quickly to optimise performance in the final days.
In Conclusion
With half of the holiday season still to go, now’s the time to fine-tune your Google Ads campaigns for maximum impact. Whether it’s adjusting budgets for peak shopping days, improving your ad copy, or leveraging remarketing, there are plenty of opportunities to improve your results. Keep an eye on performance metrics, refine your strategies, and don’t forget to stay flexible as the holiday rush continues.
